mettlesome

adjective

ˈme-tᵊl-səm How to pronounce mettlesome (audio)
Definition of mettlesomenext
1
as in energetic
having much high-spirited energy and movement the mettlesome opening dance number got the audience all jazzed up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spirited
marked by a lively display of strong feeling a mettlesome debate on the teaching of evolution in the schools

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mettlesome He may have been provoked into battle by the ruler of Cebu, who was using Magellan’s troops to rid himself of a mettlesome chieftain known to raid the trade ships that navigated the waters in and around the islands. — Tim Carman, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mettlesome
  1. energetic
  2. spirited
  3. animated
  4. fiery
  5. lively
  6. spunky
  7. animate
  8. brisk
Adjective
  • The poetry world in the city is multifarious and energetic, with waves of practitioners reading, listening to, and publishing one another.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Stones, Soddu explains, have a very long history of being associated with energetic, medicinal, protective, and symbolic properties.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of energetic
Adjective
  • Jacinta, meanwhile, brings the spirited, colorful energy of contemporary Mexican cooking with an array of tacos, tostadas, tamales, and traditional techniques.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • From this spirited competition emerged two progenitors of modern horror, science fiction, and fantasy.
    — Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirited
Adjective
  • There’s this desire, understandable on its face, to make the design and aesthetics of the live-action world recognizably similar to the animated world.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The face is customizable with various colorways, clock fonts, and photos; there’s also an animated Snoopy, whose antics change with the weather and the holidays.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of animated
Adjective
  • Hundreds of people in Toledo, Ohio, remain evacuated from their homes as officials work to resolve a fiery chemical leak that began Tuesday.
    — Lana Zak, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Here was the humble trade unionist, born into extreme poverty, standing up as a fiery-eyed tribune of the workers.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • Fashion brands have been experimenting with livelier and more unconventional footwear designs in general lately, and that means interesting uses of color.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • No changes to the dinos, but the lighting overall felt more lively and theatrical.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of lively
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Susan was a spunky fan favorite on the inaugural Golden Bachelor season.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The mop-haired actor plays Joey, a spunky boy onboard who bonds with Maddie over having absent parents in the military.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of spunky
Adjective
  • To imagine the natural world not as a passive resource but as an animate collaborator would be to reorder more than aesthetic categories, demanding another relation to our environment.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, ARTnews.com, 29 May 2026
  • Zugunruhe is the itinerant desire of any animate being to keep moving and growing.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 May 2026
Definition of animate
Adjective
  • Most dogs benefit from two brisk daily walks of 20-30 minutes.
    — Will Boyd, Baltimore Sun, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Los Javis, working with editor Alberto Gutiérrez, keep things moving, and the film’s two-and-a-half-hour running time moves at a surprisingly brisk pace.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of brisk

Browse Nearby Words

mettle
mettlesome
mew
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Cite this Entry

“Mettlesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mettlesome. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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